"We have been nice girls long enough. We’ve made our cholent…we should take to the streets." - Blu Greenberg

Monday, December 30, 2013

Blogging the JOFA Conference: The Bulletproof Stockings Documentary

This post is part of a series discussing the 2013 Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA) 8th International Conference of Feminism and Orthodoxy. You can read my notes on this session here.

When I first heard about the band Bulletproof Stockings a
couple years ago, I thought the name – a colloquial, sometimes derogatory, term
for the thick and opaque stockings that Hasidic women wear – was hilarious. The
existence of a Hasidic alt rock girl band that performs music in English with
covert religious themes amused and intrigued me. However, I didn’t actually
listen to their music until I saw that the Bulletproof
Stockings documentary would be screened at the JOFA conference, with a
talkback from band members Perl Wolfe and Dalia Schusterman moderated by Miriam
Brousseau.

I did not expect to see many right-wing types, let alone Lubavitch
Hasidic women, at the conference. As someone who falls more towards the right
side of the religious spectrum, it bothers me that my peers don’t value
feminism or think it’s necessary. Consequently, I was really happy that
Bulletproof Stockings was at the conference. I’m totally ignorant of their
beliefs towards feminism and how it intersects with Judaism, so I don’t know if
they agreed with anything that was said at the conference, but the fact that
they were there at all was really awesome.

I enjoyed watching the documentary, but the best part of
the session was the talkback with Wolfe and Schusterman. It was inspiring to
hear Schusterman chronicle her journey from playing drums in hard rock bands in
New Orleans to becoming Lubavitch and forming Bulletproof Stockings. “Hashem [God] wanted me to be in a
band,” Schusterman shrugged. “Hashem just kept putting me in the path of
drums.” Both women are truly dedicated to their craft, using their
talents for musical expression. “We
want to create music we’ll enjoy listening to, not just to fill the void of Jewish
music,” Wolfe said.

I really respect the two for sticking to their morals and
only performing for all-female audiences in order to avoid kol isha (the prohibition of women singing in front of men). “We’re not doing it [performing exclusively
for women] because we decided that it would be a great way to make money,”
Wolfe said. “We’re doing it because we believe that this is our mission as
women and this is what we were meant to do.” Bulletproof Stockings puts their
money where their mouth is, and I appreciate that.

Although
it may present a challenge to only perform for women only, Bulletproof
Stockings’ audience definitely appreciates the single-sex space. I have always
fervently championed women-only spaces in both the religious and secular worlds
(link here), so I found Wolfe and Schusterman’s discussion of this issue
fascinating. When someone from the audience asked whether there’s a Bulletproof
Stockings for men, Schusterman replied that men don’t need it; “they have Minha
[afternoon prayers] and Ma’ariv [evening prayers],” services that traditionally
only men attend. This parallel between modern music and ancient prayers struck
me. I think it just comes to show that when women yearn to have increased
access to Jewish spirituality, they will find methods of religious
self-expression.

Wolfe
pointed out that Bulletproof Stockings creates a women-only space in the
secular world, which is rarely done. She said that when she tells secular women
that men aren’t allowed into their concerts, their response is invariably “I’m
not gonna be bothered by guys at a club? That’s fantastic, I’ll see you there!
With five of my girlfriends!” I’m happily surprised that they’ve found the
secular response to be overwhelming positive.

Secular
women don’t just come to concerts because of the “no boys allowed” rule;
Bulletproof Stockings’ music certainly has crossover appeal in itself. I think
that it’s a real kiddush Hashem
(positive example) that women from all backgrounds can rock out together. “We
have Jews, non-Jews, hipsters, African-Americans, all sorts from Crown Heights
that walk into private shows, we never know who’s going to come. Our vision to
have a sisterhood party happening around the world is totally happening, that’s
really what we’re about,” Schusterman said.

Although
it may be trite, I strongly believe that sisterhood is powerful, and the idea
of a global sisterhood party really appeals to me. I do think that music can be
experienced differently in women-only spaces, and that it’s important to foster
that, at least while the patriarchy is still in power. And I mean, how can you
not like a band with enough chutzpah to call themselves Bulletproof Stockings?

About Me

Prayer for Agunot

Creator of heaven and earth, may it be Your will to free the captive wives of Israel when love and sanctity have fled the home, but their husbands bind them in the tatters of their ketubot. Remove the bitter burden from these agunot and soften the hearts of their misguided captors. Liberate Your faithful daughters from their anguish. Enable them to establish new homes and raise up children in peace.

Grant wisdom to the judges of Israel; teach them to recognize oppression and rule against it. Infuse our rabbis with the courage to use their power for good alone.